Greek wins second term as ombudsman

Nikiforos Diamandouros was today elected for a second five-year term as the European ombudsman.

Diamandouros secured 340 votes in the European Parliament, while his nearest challenger, Pierre-Yves Monnette, a Belgian, gained 289 votes. An Italian candidate, Vittorio Bottoli, came third with 19 votes.

Diamandouros’s victory was slightly unexpected, as the largest group in the Parliament, the 365-member conservative European People’s Party, officially backed Monette.

Diamandouros had also been criticised by some MEPs by calling for greater transparency about MEPs’ expenses claims.

The ombudsman is responsible for investigating complaints of maladministration brought against the EU’s institutions.